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Photo: Heron Preston

Though 2021 has been a year dominated by headlines involving hip-hop's titans, I have a strong feeling this year will be remembered as the year that the culture's lesser-appreciated artists put the genre on their backs. Luckily, this seems to be a shared opinion, as I've noted more excitement surrounding the 454's and the Z6Saint's than I have the Drake's and the Kanye's. It's a point that I can't help making every time I'm given the chance to cover hip-hop's ever-evolving landscape, and one many of my supporters (my mom) have likely noticed.  

Today, I have the chance to double down on this point, as Houston's HVN finally returns with his new EP All Girls Go to Heaven. Futuristic mixes and high-octane vocal performances collide on the latest offering from one of hip-hop's most promising up-and-coming stars, and to say it was worth the wait would be an understatement. It's been a while since we last heard from HVN but based on how carefully-polished this collection of new tracks is, it seems like he hasn't skipped a day in the studio since dropping "Draco" earlier this year.

Since releasing his 2020 debut project Welcome to Heaven, featuring the viral Tisakorean-assisted "Backhand," HVN's insane career trajectory has been shorting of meteoric. In addition to being on Don Toliver's Life of a Don, HVN earned a coveted spot as an opener on BROCKHAMPTON's 2022 tour. It's little surprise then that  All Girls Go to Heaven  feels simultaneously like a boundary-pushing entry from a hip-hop newcomer and a victory lap from a seasoned veteran.

Whether delivering his fans high-energy futurism in the form of synths and thundering bass signals on the EP opener "Hellscat," or channeling Young Thug on the string-laden "4am," HVN consistently demonstrates why he's hip-hop's chosen star. His appearance on Don Toliver's "Smoke" with Sofaygo is a testament to this rare dualistic versatility, as he's skilled enough to rap alongside the former but forward-thinking enough to belong with the latter.

All Girls Go to Heaven is chalk-full of risk-taking and subversion, and frankly, the payoff is huge. "South" evokes memories of 2020's "Backhand," complete with an interesting vocal echo that makes it all too easy to lose yourself in the track's sublime haziness. This track, and many of the others on the project, are unlike most of what we've heard this year (in the best way possible).  

A personal favorite, "Eyes Closed" is probably the project's most downtempo, but it still retains the intoxicating and cinematic haze that has made him popular among the Cactus Jack crew. Glitchy drum patterns and acoustic guitars find an unlikely harmony alongside HVN, who finds himself ruminating on love, drugs, and everything in-between.

If this is your first exposure to the Houston artist, then you're in luck, because this is the perfect place to start. All Girls Go to Heaven is full of dynamic and perfectly-crafted bangers that showcase the infectious and signature energy of one of hip-hop's most talented rising acts.

Listen to  All Girls Go to Heaven below: